Buehrle, Vazquez both candidates to start opener
TUCSON, Ariz. -- Announcing the opening-day starter is an annual rite of spring with the White Sox, and manager Ozzie Guillen has two candidates in Mark Buehrle and Javier Vazquez.
They are both deserving, which has led Guillen to delay his decision.
"I wouldn't mind either one,'' Guillen said.
In addition to throwing a no-hitter last season, Buehrle was 10-9 and ranked 10th in the American League with a 3.63 ERA. The left-hander also eclipsed 200 innings for the seventh straight year.
Vazquez was a horse in his second season with the Sox, going 18-8 with a 3.74 ERA and finishing fourth in the league with 213 strikeouts.
The White Sox open the season with a March 31 game at Cleveland, weather permitting.
"I'm not looking for matchups,'' Guillen said. "They (Indians) have seen Buehrle and Vazquez so much, so who cares? I want to see how they work and who will be the third and fifth guys.''
That's the more important development for the Sox this spring. Jose Contreras, John Danks and Gavin Floyd are expected to fill out the rotation, and Guillen wants the veteran Contreras at No. 4 to break up the two youngsters.
Since Buehrle and Danks are similar, as are Vazquez and Floyd, there are two possible starting fives.
If Buehrle gets the ball on Opening Day, Vazquez, Danks, Contreras and Floyd would follow. If Vazquez gets the nod, Buehrle, Floyd, Contreras and Danks would follow.
Good start: Gavin Floyd made a big impression on Ozzie Guillen during his throwing session Monday.
"Outstanding,'' Guillen said. "There's one thing about Gavin Floyd. If he has confidence in himself and knows he's a good pitcher, I don't think he'll have any problems. If this kid can come around and be tough, have confidence he can pitch on this level, I don't see why he can't be a real good one, not just a third or fourth guy.
"He has the stuff to be a No. 2 or No. 1 guy. It's up to him about how he handles it.''
Filing in: Jim Thome and Jermaine Dye both checked into training camp ahead of schedule Monday.
After taking some grief from catcher A.J. Pierzynski for not reporting even earlier from his off-season home in nearby Phoenix, Dye said he has been hitting in a cage at his neighbor's house, Oakland Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez.
"Same thing as down here,'' Dye said.
Joe Crede, Josh Fields, Pablo Ozuna, Carlos Quentin and Brian Anderson already are in camp. The rest of the Sox' position players are due Thursday.
Making contact: On the plus side, Josh Fields had 23 home runs and 67 RBI in only 373 at-bats as a rookie last season. On the minus side, Fields struck out 125 times.
"I don't look at them,'' Fields said of strikeouts. "The more I look at them, the more I concentrate on them, the more it's going to happen. I don't see the end total until the end of the season, and then my eyes kind of get big. The less I worry about it, the better off I am.''